Alcorn County, Mississippi Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1860, 23 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Alcorn County, Mississippi — about one every 7.2 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Ida (2021), which passed 34 miles away on 31 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentIda (2021) — 34 mi away, 31 August 2021
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1916) — 40 kt (46 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1891) — 3.3 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles12 of 23
- Peak monthSeptember — 8 storms (35% of all)
- Most active year2005 — 3 storms
- Most active decade1930s, 1950s and 2000s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1860–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ida (2021) | 31 Aug 2021 | 34.1 mi | TS / TD | 24 kt |
| Harvey (2017) | 1 Sep 2017 | 11.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Katrina (2005) | 30 Aug 2005 | 16.1 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Dennis (2005) | 11 Jul 2005 | 24.0 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Arlene (2005) | 12 Jun 2005 | 33.8 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 17 Aug 1985 | 27.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 12 Jul 1979 | 46.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Ethel (1960) | 17 Sep 1960 | 31.1 mi | TS / TD | 21 kt |
| Audrey (1957) | 28 Jun 1957 | 8.7 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Easy (1950) | 8 Sep 1950 | 22.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Baker (1950) | 31 Aug 1950 | 9.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 5 Sep 1949 | 7.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1948) | 5 Sep 1948 | 35.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 17 Jun 1939 | 20.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 17 Jun 1934 | 6.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 20 Sep 1932 | 26.2 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 18 Oct 1923 | 36.3 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 19 Oct 1916 | 40.2 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 15 Sep 1912 | 9.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 9 Sep 1893 | 4.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1891) | 8 Jul 1891 | 3.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1872) | 13 Jul 1872 | 47.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 3 Oct 1860 | 32.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 2 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta (2020) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 2020 | 30.5 mi | 24 kt |
| Irma (2017) | Remnant low | 12 Sep 2017 | 17.4 mi | 15 kt |
How Alcorn County, Mississippi compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Alcorn County, Mississippi ranks #680 — more exposed than 69.2% of them. Within Mississippi it ranks #61 of 82, against a state average of 32.3 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1916) passed 40 miles away on 19 October 1916 as a tropical storm, reaching 40 kt (46 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1860) passed 32 miles away on 3 October 1860 as a tropical storm, reaching 40 kt (46 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Katrina (2005) passed 16 miles away on 30 August 2005 as a tropical storm, reaching 38 kt (44 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Baker (1950) passed 9 miles away on 31 August 1950 as a tropical storm, reaching 36 kt (41 mph) while within 50 miles.
22 of the 23 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 23 storms spread over the 166 years from 1860 to 2025. 2 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 20 years, between 1985 and 2005. It has been 4 years since the last one; 12 of the 19 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Alcorn County, Mississippi?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Alcorn County, Mississippi while at hurricane strength. 23 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1860, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Unnamed Storm (1916).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Alcorn County, Mississippi?
Ida (2021), on 31 August 2021, passing 34 miles away — 5 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Alcorn County, Mississippi at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Alcorn County, Mississippi?
Unnamed Storm (1916), which reached 40 kt (46 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 40 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Alcorn County, Mississippi?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.2 years — 23 storms over the 166 years from 1860 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Alcorn County, Mississippi borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Benton County, Mississippi has 23 on record.